Experts Fear Ebola Virus 'Is Becoming More Contagious'

Tests suggest the virus is breeding quicker inside victim's bodies

Experts have discovered higher levels of Ebola in its infected victims, than in previous outbreaks.Reuters

The Ebola virus may be becoming even more contagious as the West Africa outbreak continues, experts fear.

Top doctors in the UK and Us have warned that the virus appears to be becoming more contagious and more they are finding more of the virus in the bodies of infected people than in previous outbreaks of the deadly virus.

Jeremy Farrar, director of the medical research charity the Wellcome Trust, which has funded research that could help to contain the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, said: "It does look like the amount of virus in the body is higher than in previous epidemics. That means there is more virus in the blood, in saliva, urine, vomit and diarrhoea."

Ebola is spread through body fluids. More virus in bodily fluids could make the virus even more contagious.

US scientist Dr Peter Jahling, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in Maryland, said his team had tested patients in Liberia and found "there is just more virus" in samples taken from infected people than in previous outbreaks.

Research also shows victims are passing the virus on to more people, but experts believe this is because the outbreak has spread through cities, and not just rural areas as in previous outbreaks.

UK prime minister David Cameron yesterday called on European Union leaders to donate more money to tackle the Ebola crisis in West Africa.